Missouri governor to detail special session for Chiefs, Royals funding
Updated: 7:23 PM CDT May 26, 2025
THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. I’M CODY HOLYOKE, MISSOURI IS ON THE CLOCK AND STRUGGLING TO SEAL THE DEAL WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING THE CHIEFS AND ROYALS IN THE SHOW-ME STATE. STATE LAWMAKERS COULDN’T GET THE BALL ACROSS THE GOAL LINE IN THE WANING DAYS OF THEIR SESSION. SO THE GOVERNOR’S CALLING THEM BACK ONTO THE FIELD IN WHAT’S BECOME A BORDER BATTLE TO KEEP THE OTHER SIDE FROM WINNING. MIKE KEHOE’S PLAN PITCHED RIGHT AT THE END OF THE SESSION, CALLED FOR THE STATE TO USE TAX REVENUE GENERATED BY THE CHIEFS AND ROYALS TO FINANCE BONDS FOR THEIR STADIUMS. THEY’D COVER UP TO HALF THE COST OF STADIUM PROJECTS AND ALLOW TAX CREDITS FOR UP TO $50 MILLION. BUT THERE’S NO SET COST OR EVEN LOCATION FOR THESE STADIUMS. THE STATE SENATE KILLED THE PROPOSAL IN THE FINAL HOURS OF THE SESSION. GOVERNOR KEHOE ACKNOWLEDGED SOME OF THE CONCERNS, BUT SAYS LAWMAKERS NEED TO COME BACK NEXT MONTH TO WORK IT ALL OUT. WHY? WELL, KANSAS LAWMAKERS HAVE A SWEETER DEAL ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW. THE CHIEFS AND ROYALS HAVE UNTIL JUNE 30TH TO DECIDE IF THEY’LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF STAR BONDS TO PAY UP FOR UP TO 70% OF THE STADIUM’S COST. AND EVEN WITH THAT DEADLINE LOOMING LARGE RIGHT NOW, GOVERNOR KEHOE SAYS BOTH TEAMS HAVE TOLD HIM THEY’RE INTERESTED IN WHAT MISSOURI CAN OFFER AHEAD OF TIME. THE TEAMS HAVE INDICATED TO ME, IF WE CAN GET LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL PASSED, OBVIOUSLY SOMEWHAT WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE JUNE 30TH DEADLINE, AND THAT’S NOT THAT FAR AWAY RIGHT NOW. CERTAINLY WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR THEM TO CONSIDER WHAT WE’RE DOING. GENTLEMEN, THE DECISION FOR A SPECIAL SESSION IS BEING MET WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE WHIPLASH FROM HOW QUICKLY THE MEASURE CAME ABOUT. EARLIER THIS MONTH, DEMOCRATIC LEADERS TELL ME THIS GIVES EVERYONE A CHANCE TO TAKE A BREATH AND FIND A WAY TO KEEP THE CHIEFS AND ROYALS IN MISSOURI. THOSE OF US IN KANSAS CITY KNOW WHAT A HUGE ECONOMIC BOON IT IS TO HAVE THEM HERE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE POLITICAL REALITY IS A LITTLE TENUOUS RIGHT NOW, AND I’M FRUSTRATED THAT IT’S COME DOWN TO THE WIRE AND THAT WE’RE TRYING TO FIX THIS IN THE 11TH HOUR. LAWMAKERS TELL ME THEY BELIEVE STATE INTERVENTION IS NEEDED, ESPECIALLY AFTER COUNTY AND LOCAL PLAYERS FAILED TO STRIKE A DEAL WITH EITHER TEAM. WE’LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT. BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, LOCALLY, INTEREST IS VERY HIGH IN STRIKING A DEAL, ESPECIALLY AMONG LEADERS IN CLAY COUNTY WHO WOULD LIKE A NORTH KANSAS CITY ROYALS STADIUM. AND IN KCMO, WHERE LEADERS WANT A STADIUM IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK OVER BY UNION STATION. LET’S GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER, GREATLY AFFECTING OUR TAX DOLLARS AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY. PLEASE WELCOME KMBC NINE’S MATT EVANS, WHO’S BEEN TALKING WITH LAWMAKERS IN JEFF CITY, AND POLITICAL REPORTER MICHAEL MAHONEY. OKAY, GENTLEMEN, WE KNOW THE LEASES FOR THE CHIEFS AND THE ROYALS RUN OUT IN 2031. BUT YOU THROW THAT OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE THE CLOCK IS WINDING DOWN TO JUNE 30TH. MATT, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM LAWMAKERS? WELL, I MEAN, IN MISSOURI, ESPECIALLY LAWMAKERS WANT TO GET SOMETHING DONE BEFORE THAT JUNE 30TH. MARK. NOW, THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF INSIDE POLITICAL BASEBALL HAPPENING HERE. WE SAW THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE MISSOURI SENATE DURING THE LAST WEEK OF SESSION, WHEN THIS THING WAS INTRODUCED ON MONDAY. THE HOUSE PASSED IT OVERWHELMINGLY, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NOW FIGHTING BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE CHAMBERS AND THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE NOT EXACTLY ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS THING. AND WE SAW THE IN IT USED THIS VERY RARELY USED MOTION CALLED MOVING THE PREVIOUS QUESTION ESSENTIALLY CUT OFF DEBATE, SOMETHING THE SENATE RARELY DOES. FIRST TIME THEY’VE DONE IT SINCE 2020, FIRST TIME IN A REGULAR SESSION. THEY’VE DONE IT SINCE 2017. AND THAT ANGERED A LOT OF SENATE DEMOCRATS. AND IN FACT, WHEN THEY WENT HOME, THEY SAID, WE’LL COME BACK FOR A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT DON’T EXPECT US TO WORK WITH YOU VERY WELL ON SOME OF THESE MEASURES. WHAT DO YOU FORESEE AN EARLY JUNE SPECIAL SESSION ON? THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT. I EXPECT THAT THE STADIUM BILL MEASURE IS GOING TO GET TIED WITH ANOTHER BIG CONSTRUCTION BILL, $500 MILLION, THAT THE HOUSE DROPPED, THAT ALSO HAS CREATED A LOT OF TENSION BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO. NOT NOT ONLY THAT IS THAT, AS MATT MENTIONED, THAT THIS CAME UP IN IN THE FINAL DAYS OF THE OF THE SESSION. BUT THERE THERE’S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ABOUT THIS, NOT ONLY THE PROPOSAL ITSELF, BUT WHERE WOULD THE STADIUMS BE, HOW MUCH LOCAL MONEY WOULD BE INVOLVED. AND IT’S GOING TO BE A REQUIREMENT FOR THAT. THE MISSOURI PROPOSAL IS LESS THAN THE KANSAS PROPOSAL THAT’S ON THE PLATE HERE. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS ON THIS THING, AND IT’S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THIS DONE. WHAT THEY’VE GOT GOING FOR THEM IS THAT IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO BE LIMITED TO THOSE TWO ITEMS. THE STADIUM BILL AND THIS RESURRECTION OF THE $500 MILLION CONSTRUCTION BILL THAT THE HOUSE KILLED. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A BIT. WE KNOW MISSOURI’S VERSION OF THE STADIUM AGREEMENT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN KANSAS, RIGHT? IT HAS THIS CLAWBACK PROVISION THAT PROTECTS SUPPORTERS, SAY MISSOURI TAXPAYERS, TO THE TUNE OF POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. DOES THAT HELP OR IS THAT A TOUGH SELL, YOU THINK, TO THE TEAMS? I THINK IF THIS IS GOING TO PASS, IT’S GOT TO HAVE THAT CLAWBACK MEASURE IN IT. I TALKED TO SENATORS DURING THAT FINAL WEEK OF SESSION, AND ALL OF THEM WERE POINTING TO THAT CLAWBACK MEASURE AS AS ONE REASON WHY THE STATE CAN SELL THIS DEAL TO VOTERS, TOO, BECAUSE YOU GOT TO REMEMBER. I MEAN, THIS IS THIS IS NOT A POPULAR THING FOR FOR VOTERS, BECAUSE IN JACKSON COUNTY, IT SUNK IN APRIL OF 2024. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH THING TO SELL. AND REAL QUICKLY, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT IN THIS FOR LOCAL SUPPORT FOR THIS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS MATT JUST POINTED OUT, IT FAILED IN 2024. SO SOMETHING’S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THAT HAS TO HAPPEN ON THAT FRONT IN ORDER FOR THIS BILL TO TAKE EFFECT. IF IT DOES, YEAH. IN THAT VEIN, I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT BECAUSE WE’RE ALL TALKING ABOUT STATE INCENTIVES BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. AND THE COUNTY WAS NOT ABLE TO STRIKE A DEAL WITH WITH THE ROYALS AND THE CHIEFS. JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE FRANK WHITE NOW GETTING A LOT OF FLAK. THERE’S NOW A RECALL EFFORT THAT’S SORT OF TIED TO THE STADIUMS. HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE EFFORT. I DON’T THINK ABOUT IT. I MEAN, I GOT WORK TO DO. I CAN’T GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUSHING FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN HERE AND PUSH THE STADIUM TAX THROUGH. MAHONEY, HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT DID WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR IN THIS WHOLE SAGA WITH THE STADIUMS AFFECT THIS RECALL EFFORT? NOW? THAT’S PART OF IT. ANOTHER LARGE PART OF IT IS THE MESS ON REASSESSMENT IN THE IN JACKSON COUNTY, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, BUT THE BUT THE PREVIOUS REASSESSMENT. FRANK WHITE’S GOT A LOT OF POLITICAL SUPPORT, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS HE USED TO HAVE. AND SO WE’LL SEE WHERE THIS GOES. THERE’S A LOT OF UNHAPPY VOTERS IN JACKSON COUNTY. YEAH, THERE ARE FOR SURE. MATT EVANS MICHEAL MAHONEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNT ON KMBC NINE NEWS AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER. KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THE STADIUM SAGA. WE’LL PASS ALONG
Missouri governor to detail special session for Chiefs, Royals funding
Updated: 7:23 PM CDT May 26, 2025
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe will host a press conference Tuesday at 10 a.m. to announce details of a special session focused on keeping the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals in the state. Lawmakers will return to Jefferson City to vote on a House and Senate bill, both offering hundreds of millions of dollars to finance new stadiums. There is a competing offer in Kansas using STAR bonds, which expires June 30. Both teams say they are keeping all options open.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe will host a press conference Tuesday at 10 a.m. to announce details of a special session focused on keeping the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals in the state.
Lawmakers will return to Jefferson City to vote on a House and Senate bill, both offering hundreds of millions of dollars to finance new stadiums.
There is a competing offer in Kansas using STAR bonds, which expires June 30.
Both teams say they are keeping all options open.